Farooq Shah was found guilty on June 2 of murdering Miss Popa shortly before midnight on October 28 last year.

Shah will also be sentenced for carrying out a knife-point robbery near to Ilford Lane less than hour before committing the murder.

The court heard how the murder investigation was launched by police officers who were called by London Ambulance Service (LAS) at 12.15am on Tuesday October 29 to reports of a woman injured in Ilford Lane, near the junction with Loxford Lane.

Officers attended and she was treated for a stab injury. She was taken to an east London hospital where she died at 1.53am.

The post-mortem examination ascertained that she died from shock and haemorrhage and stab wounds to the chest.

The victim was identified to be the Romanian national, 24, who had arrived in the UK only weeks previously.

Detective Inspector Darren Richards, the investigating officer, said: “Shah has never given any reason or expressed any remorse for killing Mariana.

“He’s given no reason because there was no reason, other than he’d armed himself with a knife and was prepared to use it that night.

“First he threatened a vulnerable man for his phone, then he attacked Mariana, thinking they were alone.

Det Insp Richards added: “Fortunately [Shah] was caught on camera and we were able to put together his movements and bring him before the courts.

“His callous murder has deprived a young daughter of her mother and a family of their loved one. I hope today’s sentence brings some sense of justice for them.”

To read about the sentencing check the Ilford Recorder website later today.

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